Question about air layering

ms_minnamouse(7a)May 10, 2009

If you wrap the sphagnum with something like saran wrap and tie it, how do you keep that area from cooking in the sun (will trap heat) and how do you water it if the sphagnum gets dry without having to untie it every time?

Thanks, LJ, for the foil idea...I've been wanting to try AL with some old garden roses and a pear tree that was planted eons ago, and never needs any spraying and produces a bumper crop. I suppose air-layering would work for an old-fashioned fruit tree?? Just wondering.

I would imagine that watering could be done with a kitchen syringe, the kind that's used for injecting meats with wet seasonings and whatnot, it has a few lateral holes in the needle in addition to the one at the tip. Seems perfect to me, I for one intend to try it.

just from my experience: i air-layered a shrub rose twice. i followed the instructions i found on the internet-put moistened moss around prepared area, wrap in plastic, seal ends (not too tight) and cover with foil. let it be and found roots in about a month. i noticed moss was still moistened, so, not something i had to worry about.